Judges 16:18-19 (MSG) When Delilah realized that he had told her his secret, she sent for the Philistine tyrants, telling them, “Come quickly—this time he’s told me the truth.” They came, bringing the bribe money. 19 When she got him to sleep, his head on her lap, she motioned to a man to cut off the seven braids of his hair. Immediately he began to grow weak. His strength drained from him.
Observation
Samson was one of Israel’s Judges. Judges is a book that records the ups and downs of Israel’s worship of God – while the Judge was alive, Israel honored God but after the Judge died, they didn’t. An angel appeared to Samson’s mother before he was born to declare that Samson would be a Nazirite from birth. He was under a divine mandate to live a special commitment to God by abstaining from wine, grapes, raisins, and fermented drinks in any form, avoiding contact with dead bodies, and not cutting one’s hair. God endowed Samson with extraordinary strength which he used to fight and defeat the Philistines, Israel’s enemy. Unfortunately, Samson allowed his personal life to be out of control – his temper, his indulgences, his sleeping around, his playing fast and loose with the rules of his vow – and, worst of all, he falls in love with a Philistine woman who lives in the Valley of Sorek (Grapes). Since grapes in any form are forbidden to the Nazirite, it is fitting that his indulgences caught up with him here.
This is a classic example of how toying with temptation leads to being betrayed by sin. Delilah is an example of indulging a temptation until it ripens into addictive, soul-owning sin. Surely, even if he was mesmerized by her, Samson had to suspect something was up when Delilah nagged him – and tested each method!! – until he gave up the secret of his strength (Judges 16:16-17 She kept at it day after day, nagging and tormenting him. Finally, he was fed up—he couldn’t take another minute of it. He spilled it.). Sadly, he chose to indulge her – to live in the moment, to have his sinful pleasure, to ignore the truth- until it was his undoing as she delivered him into the hands of the enemy.
Before this night, Samson could have voluntarily repented and reconsecrated himself – cut off his hair, offered the proscribed sacrifices and started over as a Nazirite bearing the public humiliation of his failure. He could have been restored before God. Unfortunately, he did not choose to do so and the Philistines extracted a far greater price to eventually bring him to that place of repentance and reconsecration.
Impact on Me
In Greek mythology there are stories of the Sirens, beautiful women who by their mesmerizing song would lure mariners to their deaths by shipwreck on rocky shores. They symbolize the danger of temptation and the perils of giving in to seductive pleasures. Temptation sings a beautiful, sweet and hypnotizing song of promise and pleasure while in reality it draws us to destruction, away from our goal of sanctification, our desire to be holy, our commitment to follow, love and serve God well. We become distracted little by little until we find ourselves wandering, lost, weakened and ashamed. We get our eyes focused on that beautiful, sparkly, shiny thing and don’t notice until it is too late that we are being drawn into dangerous rocky areas that threaten shipwreck and death. We are already compromised, addicted, consumed by guilt and shame, fearful to admit what we have done, isolating ourselves from those who can love and support us.
Where are my Delilah’s, my sirens drawing me to sin and destruction? Am I wiser than Samson? Will I flee temptation rather than be drawn by its tempting siren song? Why would I turn my ear to it when I can instead choose to listen to the songs of grace, love and mercy that God sings over me as His child? Why do I find myself indulging my personal wants and desires like a spoiled child when I know they have no real eternal value and do not please my Father? I know that setting aside my wants, desires, and dreams to follow God’s dreams for me will bring real peace, joy, contentment. This is something my own efforts could never produce, and are worth whatever I perceive as the cost to me. Why would I ever run away with shame when I can repent and be restored – whatever the price to me?
Devotion
You are the Lord Most High, Almighty, Everlasting, Holy One. You are also my Redeemer, my Advocate, my Teacher, my Constant Companion throughout my life. You know every step I take, every decision I make, every sin I might try to hide. Give me discernment to recognize and resist my Delilah temptations, the song of the Enemy’s sirens leading to sin and destruction. I want to hear only the song You are singing over me (The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love He will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17). Lord, may I turn my ear and heart to Your song alone so I may please You in my journey. Make it so in Jesus’ name, I pray.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 